Nobody's Home
by aUgOuX
Summary: Takuya came back to set things right with Zoe. Were every words that came our of her mouth; every breath he heard; every tears he wiped; her touch and kiss. . .were real? NOTE: SHORT STORY.
1. Returned

**Okay, my educational field trip is done and it was awesome! i will never forget riding SPACE SHUTTLE! IT WAS THE COOLEST OF THE COOL! you should try it! **

**Oh yeah, this is only a short story. Guess the problem okay? And I'll make a song fiction on your stories. . .! **

**I'll continue 'I am Your Life' this week, so stay tuned! I hope you enjoy!**

Takuya, happy, full of desires twenty-one year old who just graduated at Singapore as a successful Engineer. When he landed at Shibuya, the sky was perfect, cloudless blue as he remembered. He was wearing his red t-shirt with sleeveless black jacket.

His family was waiting for him with the car. This he was missing so much: Mr. Kanbara, Charles, a business man; Mrs. Kanbara, Emily, a housewife; and last but not the least, his fourteen year old little brother, Shinya.

Emily and Charles hugged him tightly for a minute while Shinya gave him a power one-armed hug.

"It's good to see you, kid," Charles said, smiling as he automatically caught and steadied him.

"You haven't changed much," Emily grinned.

"How's the graduation?" Shinya asked.

"Everything's fine. It's good to see you, too, guys."

He had only a few bags. It all fit into the trunk of the car.

"We found a good car for you, really cool," Charles announced when they were strapped in.

"What kind of car?" Takuya asked.

"Well, it's a pick-up truck actually," Emily answered.

"When did you buy it?"

"We bought two days before, I think," Shinya replied.

"Please tell me Shinya wasn't the one who pick the truck," Takuya groaned.

"Really, big brother, the thing looks new and drives great."

"Is he telling the truth?" Takuya asked his parents.

"Well, honey, we kind of already bought it for you," Emily chuckled.

"As a homecoming gift," Charles added.

Shinya peeked sideways at his brother with a hopeful expression.

"Wow. Free," Shinya whistled.

"You didn't need to do that. I was going to buy myself a car," Takuya sighed.

"We don't mind. We want you to be happy here," Shinya was looking ahead at the road when he said that. Shinya was comfortable with expressing his emotions out loud.

"That's really nice, Shinya. Thanks. I really appreciate it," Takuya patted Shinya's head.

"Well, now, you're welcome," he mumbled, embarrassed by Takuya's thanks.

They exchanged a few more comments on the weather, which was sunny, and that was pretty much it for conversation. They stared at the windows making a lot of noise.

Eventually they made it to their house. There, parked on the street in front of the house that never changed, was his new truck. It was black color. To his intense surprise, he loved it.

"Wow, Mom, Dad, Shinya, I love it! Thanks!"

"We're glad you like it," Charles said gruffly.

It took only one trip to get all his stuff upstairs. The room was still the same as he left it. One of the best things about his parents is they don't hover. They left him alone to unpack and get settled. It was nice that Shinya was helping him unpack his belongings.

After unpacking, Takuya told them he'll be back in an hour—he wanted to look for a bookstore. Shinya was willing to come with him, but he encouraged having fun with his friends—he didn't know how preoccupied he could get when surrounded by books; it was something he preferred to do alone.

Takuya walked off to his new car happily, and he headed in the direction he remembered where he used to go every weekends.

He had no trouble finding the bookstore. After he bought a book, he remembered his high-school sweetheart, Zoe. So he bought three red roses. While Takuya was walking back to his truck, he wasn't able to notice his old best friends as he put the roses on the passenger's seat.

"Takuya!" Koji and Koichi yelled after him, waving when Takuya turned. Takuya rushed back to them, the pronounced relief on both their faces simultaneously changing to surprise. They touched their fists to each other.

"What's up?" Koji barked.

"What a pleasant surprise!" Koichi followed.

"So what are you doing here?" Takuya finally asked.

"Nothing much," Koji muttered.

"We're only buying a gift for Mom and Dad," Koichi admitted sheepishly.

"So how are you?" Takuya asked.

"Oh we've never been better," Koji laughed.

"And you? It's been a long time since we last saw you." Koichi asked.

"Yeah. Since we graduated from senior year. We went to college at California while you went to college at Singapore."

"Oh, I got a part-time job at a bookstore there," Takuya murmured.

"Is that so?" Koji raised an eyebrow.

"When did you get back?" Koichi flashed a gleaming smile.

"Just a while ago. I'm home on vacation," Takuya answered. "How about you?"

"Just last week," Koichi responded.

"So are you going back there?" Koji wondered.

"Well, I don't know."

"Well, it's good to see you again."

"You're looking good," Koichi commented.

"You, too!"

"We'll come over to your house tomorrow."

"Sure, sure," Takuya muttered. Then he slid into the driver's seat and buckled his seat belt.

"Cool car," Koji commented.

"I know," he agreed. "I was just thinking the same thing."

He continued to drive quickly down the overgrown lane, twisting through the trees that arched over him like a green, living tunnel. His hands were shaking, so he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

The thick, almost jungle-like growth crawled rapidly past his windows. The drive wound on an on. He started to go slower, getting edgy. How long had he been driving? Shouldn't he have reached the house yet? The lane was so overgrown that it did not look familiar.

Then there was the break in the trees that he was looking for, only it was not so pronounced before. The flora here did not wait long to reclaim any land that was left unguarded. The tall ferns had infiltrated the meadow around the house, crowding against the trunks of the cedars, even the wide porch. It was like the lawn had been flooded—waist-high—with green, feathery waves.

And the house _was_ there, but it was not the same. Though nothing had changed on the outside, the emptiness screamed from the blank windows. It was creepy. For the first time since he's seen the beautiful house, it looked like a fitting haunt for ghosts.

He hit the brakes, looking directly into the house. He was not sure to go farther.

So he felt the engine running and jumped out into the fern sea.

He approached the barren with the roses in his hand, vacant face slowly, his truck rumbling out a comforting roar behind him. He stopped when he got to the door. He knocked on the door twice but nobody answered. He looked in the windows. The room was bare, echoing empty from floor to ceiling, it certainly hurt him.

But wouldn't it be worse if there were no change? The couches sat just as he's last seen them, the paintings on the walls. Everything remained, untouched and forgotten, behind them.

"Takuya?" somebody called.

"Zoe!" His excited grin stretched wide across his face, the bright teeth standing in vivid contrast to the deep russet color of his skin.

They met halfway to the house.

Takuya hugged Zoe in a romantic hug that about broke for a few long seconds.

"I've missed you so much!" Takuya's hot fingers caught Zoe's hand.

"Yeah, I missed you, too."

"Sorry if it's only three red roses," Takuya handed her the flowers.

"Thank you," Zoe smiled her beaming smile.

"Wanna go for a walk?"

Takuya took Zoe at the beach for some catch ups. Even though it was hot and sunny, the beach was crowded with tourists. On this day, Takuya and Zoe had the beach for them to do what they liked.

Zoe was skipping at rocks while Takuya was talking.

"So, how's your life? Anything new?" Takuya cleared his throat.

Zoe stopped and very sorry to tell him the answer. "It all started four years ago, maybe a few months after you left. . .I've been having sleepless nights because of Dad fight Mom for no good reasons. Days go by, nothing's changing, and they're still the same. I can always hear her crying. . ." Zoe's voice trailed off when tears run down her face. She hides it away from Takuya.

He caught her face and wiped all the tears away. "Shhhh," he shushed her. "Everything's all right now."

"I'm scared," she whimpered. "Everytime I tried to defend Mom, I get a lot of bruises as an exchange."

Takuya noticed a few marks at Zoe's arms then he hugged her tightly.

"You're Dad's stupid, Zoe. Do you want me to sleepover to your house just for tonight?"

"No, I'll be fine. I'm used to the hitting parts," Zoe chuckled. Finally got her humor self.

"That's not funny."

"Okay then. I'll see you again tomorrow," she waved goodbye at Takuya then ran away from the shore.

"Wait, Zoe? We haven't talked much yet," Takuya called over as he was catching up to Zoe.

Suddenly, he lost her but he swore she went down the road where his truck was parking.

_AT home_

"Where were you?" Shinya asked.

"Got a few minute talks with Koji and Koichi and went to Zoe's house," Takuya said, squinting at Shinya, "it seems she's having a rough time around her parents."

Shinya was confused at Takuya. "But big brother—"

"Poor Zoe, she's got a lot of bruises around her arm," Takuya interrupted. "She's strong, I know. She's the only girl that I've seen who doesn't care to get butchered by her own father."

"There's—"

"Dinner's ready!" Emily called from downstairs.

"Yeah, mom!" Takuya shouted. "Race ya!"

At bedtime, Takuya tossed and turned all night, scarcely getting any sleep because of his own worried thoughts for Zoe. When he was almost drifting away, icy fingers touched his arm.

"Gah!" Takuya quickly sat up but it was only Zoe, he checked if Shinya was awaken but rolled over. "Wait. . .How did you. . .The door's. . .The window. . ." Takuya blurted and wondered why Zoe was crying and another mark was on the edge of her mouth.

"Takuya, they're fighting again," Zoe whispered. "Please don't make me go back in my house," she begged. "I'll sleep at the floor."

"Don't cry anymore. I'm here, nobody's going to hurt you here," Takuya kissed her forehead gently. "And there's no way I'm taking the bed," Takuya said. "I'll sleep on the floor. You're the guest.

"That's not right. It's your room."

Takuya snorted quietly. "Ha. No, the bed is yours."

"No way." Zoe lay down on the floor, hugging herself.

"You can use my pillow," he told her, he reach for the pillow under his head.

They lay in silence for a while, listening to the low whistle of the kid's breathing.

"Shinya's all grown-up now, isn't he?" Zoe whispered.

"Yep. I think his much more mature than me," Takuya scoffed.

"It's been a while since we last met," Zoe had almost forgotten what Shinya looked like.

There was a dead silence again.

"Shinya has a nice snore, doesn't he?" Takuya whispered.

"It won't keep you up," Zoe agreed.

"You tired?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

He waited for her to say something more, but she was quiet. He realized Zoe had already fallen asleep.

Takuya crawled off the bed, squeezing into the hard space, and threw his arm over Zoe's chest. He leaned his head against her hair and felt her tears, warm on his neck. She was crying in sleep. Takuya waited until she was sure she was deeply under, and then she crawled over her and very carefully shifted him from the floor to the bed. She was lighter than before. She didn't wake. He brushed off of the remaining strands of her hair on her hair and kissed her cheek slowly and warmly but sweetly.

"Sweet dreams," he whispered through her ears.

He put his pillow back where it belonged, and then stretched out on the floor.

When Takuya woke, the crevices in the ceiling were bright with echoed sunlight, and someone was whistling.

The whistling stopped.

Takuya rolled onto his side when his eyes fluttered.

Shinya was leaning against the door frame, his arms folded across his chest. "Morning," he said. "Get enough sleep?"

He stretched, decided that he felt acceptably rested, and found that Zoe was nowhere on his bed.

"I slept well, thanks," Takuya muttered absentmindedly. "Have you seen Zoe?"

Shinya stirred at the sound of his voice.

"Zoe?"

"Yes, Zoe. She ran away from her home last night."

Shinya blinked and pulled his tangled hair out of his eyes. "In case you haven't heard—"

"Takuya, you have visitors!" Emily interrupted from downstairs.

"I'll be there in a minute."

Takuya washed his face and brushed his teeth then came downstairs quickly.

"You remember, Ash, right?" Koji said, as if reading Takuya's thoughts.

"Because she's having a party tonight," Koichi said.

"What time?" said Takuya.

"Five o'clock sharp," said Koji.

"Cool."

"So where do you want to go?" Koichi snapped.

"How about at the park? We could have a few sodas there," Takuya suggested.

"Well, it is a nice day. We'll meet you there before ten, alright?"

"Sure, sure," Takuya muttered.

Takuya ate his breakfast, ignoring his worried stares of his little brother.

"I'm getting worried about you, big brother," Shinya sighed while his brother's getting dress.

"There's nothing wrong with me, is there?"

"Last night, are you talking to yourself or talking in sleep?"

"So you're listening. Well, none of the above. I was talking to Zoe. She _was _here, Shinya."

"I hope so."

"You don't think I'm lying, did you?"

"It's just because—"

"Would somebody please answer the door?" Emily interrupted Shinya again.

"Ugh. I'll get it," Takuya stumbled his way through the stares.

Takuya opened the door and found Zoe standing. His heart felt firm and warm all of the sudden.

"Hello there!" she called out. "Would you like to go to the beach?"

"I'm sorry, I have plans with Koji and Koichi—speaking of the twins, they haven't seen you for a while, would you like to meet them at the park later?"

"Yes," she said. "But can we please go to the beach first?" she pouted.

"Anything for you," Zoe hugged him thankfully.

_At the park_

While Takuya and Zoe were waiting were the twins, Takuya bought them something to eat and drink. Takuya was pleased, that much was easy t read in his face.

"All right then," he said his voice seething with approval. "Why didn't you wake me up before you left?"

"I just wanted to check my Mom and you looked tired so I didn't bother."

Takuya laughed. The sound was easy, natural, and effortless. It sounded _right. _"Even though. And I'm not really that tired."

Zoe turned her face toward him and pressed her hand into the warm skin of his neck. "I trust _you_," she assured him. "It's me I don't' trust."

"Explain that, please."

"Well—" she struggled to find the right way to phrase it. "I don't' trust myself to be. . .enough. To deserve you. There's nothing about me that could _hold _you."

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, hugging her to his chest.

"Your hold is permanent and unbreakable," he whispered. "Never doubt that."

But how could she not?

"You never did tell me. . . ," he murmured.

"What?"

"Whether or not you can still love me, after everything I've done to you. . .after I left you broken. Can you?" he whispered.

"What kind of idiotic question is that?"

"Just answer it. Please."

She stared at him darkly for a long moment. "The way I feel about you will never change. Of course I love you—and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"That's all I needed to hear."

Before Takuya's mouth was on Zoe's, the twins interrupted in a casual tone.

"Watcha doing?" Koji asked playfully.

"Uhm. . .nothing," Takuya blushed as he lied. "Oh yeah, Zoe—"

Zoe just disappeared like a blink of an eye. He swore she was right beside him.

"Zoe what?" Koichi snapped.

"She was. . .Maybe. . .But that's. . .nothing," Takuya spluttered.

**Have you guessed what's happening? If yes, let me know. Don't forget to read/review!**


	2. Revealed

**Hey ya'all! Wuzzup? Here's the next chapter of the story. . . .in this chapter, all the truth is revealed; it'll explain everything. Well, I think it gets boring in the end. . . .too many actions! Hope ya enjoy!**

"Ashley?"

Takuya's voice called. She turned around lightly to hug him.

"How's it going?" she mumbled meeting his eyes.

"Almost too good to believe," Takuya teased.

"Why am I not surprised?" she snickered.

"I love what you did to your house," Koichi muttered to Ashley. Ash took a deep breath as she remembered Zoe and her when they used to be the organizer in their high school years, and then she smiled slightly.

"Ready to celebrate?" Ash announced at the crowd.

The crowd cheered.

Ash shook her head.

"Unbelievable."

Takuya shrugged. "Let's party-party!"

Ash's house is more of like a nightclub than a mansion now.

"Ash!" Koji called from beside a gigantic speaker. "Which do you prefer?" He gestured toward a towering stack of CDs. "Justin Bieber? Or"—he gestured to a different pile—"Paramore?"

"Give them on-the-go," Ash recommended.

Their skins reacted oddly to the pulsing red and purple lights.

"Thanks for coming," she tossed with Takuya, Koji and Koichi. Koji made a face at her.

"If only Zoe was here," Koichi said hopefully.

"Yeah, I miss her," Ash pouted.

"She'll come. She misses her decorations of Ash," Takuya cheered.

"Did you sleep well?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, I slept fine last night!"

"Did you know—"

"Oooh. . .I love this song! Care to dance?" Koichi interrupted.

"Anything you want," Ash agreed and took Koichi's hand.

Koji turned the volume of the music up, and then danced hip-hop to his old friends some hi-five.

The lights left the room soft and puzzling.

There was a thrill to the atmosphere. The music was catching, the lights almost mesmerizing. The food was good for thirty minutes, which must be very good, too. Bodies swayed to the beat of the rumbled under the soles of their feet, the party constantly on the edge of breaking into a dance.

Takuya circled the room, searching for Zoe. Soon, he got tired and took a seat.

"Am I late?" someone murmured in his ear.

Zoe wore sequined tank top and blue jeans.

"Thirty minutes won't hurt," he answered playfully.

"Would you like to dance?"

Takuya held Zoe tighter to the dance floor. He took a breath as he pulled Zoe close. Their eyes were as they followed hymn of the music. Zoe put her arms around his neck as she leaned her head against his chest, content.

"You look pretty tonight," Takuya finally said something. "I mean, you're more than beautiful."

Zoe laughed. "Too bad they don't think so."

"I don't think so. You're different to the other girls in town."

They were twirling.

"Anyways, how'd you disappeared while ago?"

"Probably you have poor eyesight."

"That's impossible."

"Everything impossible now."

"Do you want to go to the Park tonight?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Sure."

_At the Park_

"Hey, Takuya! Catch," Zoe flipped a coin to Takuya.

"What do you want me to do with this?" he asked.

"You're going to need all the luck you could get."

"I don't need it because I've got you."

"Then just keep it," Zoe grinned playfully.

"Because it's from _you_, I'll keep it."

He shoved the coin right into his pocket.

"So what are we doing here?" Zoe asked.

"I just want us to be alone. Like dancing under the moonlit," he responded.

Takuya put his hands on her waist, and Zoe reached up to put her hands on his shoulders.

"You know, when I was at the Singapore, I was trying to forget you. But I couldn't. You were always on my mind, I don't know why. And now that I'm here, I want to set things right with you," Takuya touched Zoe's face. "Zoe Orimoto," he said. "I love you more than everything else in the world combined."

Zoe didn't say anything.

"Well, say something."

She grinned. "Nobody has ever said anything about that for me before."

And he leaned down to press his lips to hers, their hearts pounding out a jagged, disjointed rhythm while Zoe's breathing turned to panting and her fingers moved greedily to his face. She could feel his marble body against every line of hers—there was no pain in the world that would have justified missing this. His hands memorized her face, the same way she was tracing his, and, in the brief seconds when his lips were free, they continued dancing under the moon light.

_Orimoto's Residence_

Zoe has fallen asleep on the way home, the door opened and Takuya carried her from the car. Zoe felt Takuya's hands forcing open her fingers loose from his shirt.

"Where could her parents be?" Takuya wondered since nobody's home. He checked his watch. "It's already two in the morning and nobody's home."

He decided to sleepover at Zoe's place in case Zoe's father riots.

Takuya laid beside Zoe while his touching Zoe's forehead with the softest pressure. She squeezed her eyes more tightly shut. She wrapped her arms around Takuya as if there's no tomorrow. Takuya hugged back, leaving Zoe's arms there.

Takuya hummed his lullaby to Zoe until he falls asleep.

_Ring, Ring_

Takuya's eyes snapped open and fall on his back on the floor.

"What the heck?" he gasped, and threw his hand over his head.

Takuya scanned the room and it was familiar, it's _his _room. He was confused.

Takuya tried to remember what he did last night; on how he got to his room when he was with Zoe's last night. Takuya opened his eyes wide—and Shinya was there, his arms folded.

"Tough night?" Shinya whistled.

"I have no idea," Takuya replied. "Is Mom and Dad—"

"They're outside," Shinya already knows what he's going to ask.

He noticed he was still in his same clothes he wore last night. Then he ignored it and went into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth.

"It's just a dream," he laughed at the mirror.

As soon he was done, he shoves his hand into his pocket and a coin fell on the floor.

Takuya's heart thumped unevenly as he hurried to Shinya.

"How the hell did I get here?" Takuya almost shouted.

"Let me remember. . .you drove home past three."

"Three?"

"You're lucky Mom and Dad are knocked out before you got home. Or they'll be pissed. Well, I called the twins and Ash and they said you left without even telling them."

"Weird," he whispered to himself. "What do you mean. . .I was driving?"

"Speaking of driving, you were kind of scary while ago. . . .In case you haven't heard, I stayed up all night waiting for you. . . .You were kind of scary because you're like a zombie. You know what I mean?"

"No," Takuya raised an eyebrow.

"You acted as if I'm not there! I asking you a question; I was blocking your way just to get you attention; and then when you got on your bed, you were talking to someone but I can see you eyes. They were wide open."

"Sleepwalking?"

"How's that possible? Is there such thing called _sleep driving_?"

"Of course not, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," Takuya laughed awkwardly and nervously.

"Big brother, is everything alright?"

"Everything is not what it seems."

"Do you want me to tell Mom and Dad you're feeling sick?"

"I'm fine. . .I'm just. . .let me get this straight—I was with Zoe last night, we were at the park. And then I drove her home. I carried her upstairs coz' she was asleep. I know I fall asleep after that."

"You're daydreaming, aren't you?"

"I. . .don't. . .I need a coffee," Takuya quickly run downstairs.

Takuya made his coffee in a hurry. He was staring at it for several seconds, his hold on it was getting tighter, feeling the heat of it.

"Easy, you're going to break the mug!" Shinya snapped.

"Ooops, sorry," Takuya drank his coffee straight without a pause.

Shinya watched his brother with an amazement mixed with curiosity.

"Okay, awkward."

And then the phone rang.

"I'll get it," Takuya reached to the phone.

"Meet us at the park. We need to talk," Koji said.

"What's the problem?"

Koji ended the call without Takuya's answer.

"Okay, I'm really having a weird day," Takuya muttered.

_At the Park_

"What do you want to talk about?" Takuya asked the twins.

"Is there something wrong?" Koji asked.

"No. Nothing's wrong."

"Shinya called while ago, he said you're a little bit confuse on what happened last night," Koichi said.

"Yeah, there's something wrong. I know—"

"You have fallen asleep at Zoe's house," Koji continued.

"I guess Shinya already told you everything."

"Yeah, he said you're seeing things that weren't real," Koichi said in a serious tone.

"What are you blabbering about?" Takuya raised an eyebrow.

"Don't make us say the name," Koji shook.

"Who?"

"Your precious little Zoe!"

"What about her?"

"She's not real."

"What do you mean she's not real? She was with me ever since I came back here. What's wrong with you people?"

"How could we explain this?" Koichi groaned.

"I danced her last night in front of everybody you idiots!"

"No, you didn't."

"You're lying."

"No, _you're _lying."

"I don't think his lying," Koji said.

"What do you mean? What's going on here? If this is a prank. . .oh, you better hide!"

"This is not a joke," Koji said with a meaningful look.

"We know what she means to you," Koichi looked down then to Takuya.

Takuya almost realized it, "No, no. . .Please tell me this is not what I'm thinking."

"She's gone," Koji finally said it.

It took few minutes before I could speak.

"This is not real. I was there," he said. "Do you know what time?"

"Two o'clock in the morning," Koichi answered.

"I was there! Shinya told me I was home at three. So that means I was there!"

"She was brutally murdered by her Father with her Mom," Koichi continued.

"You just can't stop lying, can you?"

"This is not a movie. This is real."

"I was with her last night I'm telling you!"

"Will you wake up?" Koji's fist came smashed into Takuya's face. Takuya landed on the ground, groaning, trying to fight the dizziness.

"Listen," Koji said. "Mrs. Orimoto and Zoe were killed by Mr. Orimoto four years ago. Mr. Orimoto hung himself after he killed them. Zoe's body wasn't found. They looked everywhere. In fact, the police gave up after two weeks the day they died."

Takuya's whole body went numb. He couldn't feel anything below the neck.

"Takuya, as your best friend, we have to tell the truth no matter how it hurts. And this is the truth. You're seeing things that aren't real," Koji sounded angry, but it just sounded like he was sorry.

_Not real, _those two words echoed in his head.

"You weren't ignoring Zoe after all; because she was never really there. I never held her hand like I thought. I was hugging myself. All the touch, it was all nothing. Then who was I dancing?"

Koichi helped Takuya get up.

"You were dancing with Ashley. . . ." Koji answered.

Takuya grabbed the coin from his pocket then a drop of water crawled on Takuya's eye as he remembered everything with Zoe was nothing:

_"Takuya?" somebody called._

_"Zoe!" His excited grin stretched wide across his face, the bright teeth standing in vivid contrast to the deep russet color of his skin._

_They met halfway to the house._

_Takuya hugged Zoe in a romantic hug that about broke for a few long seconds._

It was all just a lie:

_He caught her face and wiped all the tears away. "Shhhh," he shushed her. "Everything's all right now."_

_"I'm scared," she whimpered._

None of it was real:

_"Don't cry anymore. I'm here, nobody's going to hurt you here," Takuya kissed her forehead gently._

He was making a fool out of himself:

_Takuya crawled off the bed, squeezing into the hard space, and threw his arm over Zoe's chest. He leaned his head against her hair and felt her tears, warm on his neck. She was crying in sleep. Takuya waited until she was sure she was deeply under, and then she crawled over her and very carefully shifted him from the floor to the bed. She was lighter than before. She didn't wake. He brushed off of the remaining strands of her hair on her hair and kissed her cheek slowly and warmly but sweetly._

_"Sweet dreams," he whispered through her ears._

How couldn't he see that:

_She stared at him darkly for a long moment. "The way I feel about you will never change. Of course I love you—and there's nothing you can do about it!"_

_"That's all I needed to hear."_

Furious:

_Takuya held Zoe tighter to the dance floor. He took a breath as he __pulled Zoe close.__Their eyes were as they followed hymn of the music. Zoe put her arms around his neck as she leaned her head against his chest, content._

He wanted to hit something:

_Takuya put his hands on her waist, and Zoe reached up to put her hands on his shoulders._

"_You know, when I was at the Singapore, I was trying to forget you. But I couldn't. You were always on my mind, I don't know why. And now that I'm here, I want to set things right with you," Takuya touched Zoe's face. "Zoe Orimoto," he said. "I love you more than everything else in the world combined."_

_Zoe didn't say anything._

"_Well, say something."_

_She grinned. "Nobody has ever said anything about that for me before."_

_And he leaned down to press his lips to hers, their hearts pounding out a jagged, disjointed rhythm while Zoe's breathing turned to panting and her fingers moved greedily to his face. She could feel his marble body against every line of hers—there was no pain in the world that would have justified missing this. His hands memorized her face, the same way she was tracing his, and, in the brief seconds when his lips were free, they continued dancing under the moon light. _

Was he insane:

_Takuya carried her from the car. Zoe felt Takuya's hands forcing open her fingers loose from his shirt._

_Takuya laid beside Zoe while his touching Zoe's forehead with the softest pressure. She squeezed her eyes more tightly shut. She wrapped her arms around Takuya as if there's no tomorrow. Takuya hugged back, leaving Zoe's arms there._

_Takuya hummed his lullaby to Zoe until he falls asleep._

Takuya step backward then he runs into his truck. His friends didn't even bother him. He hurried down to Zoe's house. . . .

Takuya went quickly inside the house and there were shouting's and screaming's from Zoe. He covered his ears and saw a glimpse of Zoe running into her room. Takuya followed her and as soon as he opens the door he experience had a flashback of Zoe last night.

_Zoe was on her bed, hugging herself, terrified._

"_SUSAN!" Derek's (Mr. Orimoto) roar echoed from upstairs. "YOU'RE NOTHING BUT AN UNGREATFUL LITTLE WHORE JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER!"_

_Zoe froze, listening to the cry of Susan (Mrs. Orimoto) followed._

_Derek's furious voice continued. "Who was that guy? You're new boyfriend?"_

"_He's only a friend of mine." There was a tremor in Susan's voice. Zoe stared up the ceiling. _

"_How dare you've got the nerve to show his face to my lawn!"_

_There was a splattered glass. "I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU'RE FUCKING FACE YOU PSYCHO!"_

_Ice shot down Zoe's spine._

"_What did you call me?" Derek roared._

"_INSIGNIFCANT ASSHOLE!"_

"_I'M GOING TO KILL YOU," he hissed. "AND YOU'RE PRECIOUS LITTLE DAUGHTER." _

"_Don't drag Zoe into this. She's just—" she began to protest._

_Susan didn't finish her sentence. There was a one long loud scream in brief minutes then there was a dead silence. _

"_Mom?" Zoe said. Getting out of her bed._

_She listened to the cry of her mother. It was a low and weak cry._

_Zoe opened the door with her hand trembling. _

"_Mom," she said so loud that it echoed downstairs. _

_Zoe had reached the hallway and there were a few drops of blood. The echo of her pain twisted inside her. Then she kept her mouth shut when she saw Susan crawling, her blouse was destroyed from the rage of Derek. Zoe kept her head low then watched how Derek held Susan's shaking head. There were large drops of salt water raising down her cheeks. She couldn't do anything._

_Susan was looking at Zoe but Derek didn't notice it. Susan was catching her last breath then Derek snapped her neck. Zoe's eyes widened. She tried to lock the tears from her eyes and it worked. Derek finally caught the sight of Zoe. _

_Zoe run quickly into her room and locked her door. She grabbed the knife under her pillow that she was hiding in case Derek rant and rave, and this is the time. Zoe had a hard grip on the handle of the weapon as she hid inside her small closet. _

_There was a break from her door. She hears his mumbled oath at the same time that a stupid squeak of fear escapes her mouth. _

"_I'll kill you just like you're mother," he threatens gruffly. _

_Zoe waited for the opening of her closet and minutes have past, still nothing happened._

_Zoe peeked through the little hole of the closet and seems like Derek has left the room. Zoe opened the door of her closet. She stepped outside of the room, still no sign of her father. She hurried downstairs and saw her mother's lifeless body. The knife hits the floor with a thud. There was a blood coming out from the lips of Susan. Zoe didn't care, all she cares is how she hugged her mother._

"_Mom, I don't know what else to do," she whimpered._

"_Didn't I teach you anything?" A bass voice came asked._

_Zoe faced Derek who was now holding the knife. "Do it," she spit through her teeth. "Just do it. I don't want to be a filthy daughter of you!"_

_She waited for the knife, and her heart is aching. Each beat ahs a name. Takuya, Takuya, Takuya. _I've got something left to do. No way I'm gonna die, _she thought. Zoe don't even get two steps before rough, hard hands garb her shoulders and wrench her back against his body. She's shocked to feel a thin, sharp edge pushing into the skin under her jaw. _

_She doesn't understand. She shouldn't be given a choice. Who is this monster? She threw her elbow into his gut—and this really hurts. His stomach muscles are iron hard as the hand. This is very strange. _

_Desperate, she jab her heel into his instep. This catches him off guard, and he wobbles. She wrenched away, but he grabs her hair, yanking her back into his body. The steel hit her chest; Zoe tried to fight the pain. Derek let her fall on the floor._

_Zoe groaned. "Nine lives left. Still alive!"_

"_Very strong. Too bad your mother's not strong as you," his words are nonsensical. _

_His hand tightens in her hair and dragged her to the bathroom. Zoe was in too pain to move so Derek let her fall again on the cold floor. He turned the faucet on. Letting the bathtub overflow. He pulled her swiftly over and under and over his body. Zoe was dizzy and confused, her head still spinning, but she understood as soon as her face hit the water._

_His hand locked on the back of her neck, forcing her face into the shallow scream of cooler water. It was too late to hold her breath. She already inhaled a mouthful of water. _

_Zoe's body panicked when the water hit her lungs. It's flailing was stronger than he'd expected. Her limbs all jerked and thrashed in different directions, and his grip on her neck tightened. Derek fought to push her deeper into the tub, Zoe's wriggles and wedges wasn't working against his goal. A few brief seconds later, she wasn't reacting to that water in her lung and coughing out of control anymore. _

_Derek soon freed his hard grip on his dead daughter._

Takuya scream.

He was now sitting up covered in swat. Even before he was all the way awake, his fingers were on the back of his neck. His waiting for his breathing slow, veins full of adrenaline from the realistic flashback.

No, not a flashback. Surely a memory.

His heart ached when he remembered Zoe fall on the floor limp and empty.

He blinked away the unwelcome moisture in his eyes. He didn't know how much more fo this he could stand. He stumbled his way outside the house then to then into his car.

For a panicked moment, terror washed through him.

**Awe, you don't like it, do you? Neh, it's okay. . . .it's happens to anybody! Have a happy weekend people of the earth!**


	3. Completed

**This wraps up the third story. . .hope ya enjoy the fantasy!**

Takuya tried not to panic as he sees Zoe at the passenger's seat. Zoe was wet as she was drowned; blood spread on her shirt as she was hit by the knife through her chest.

Takuya steeled himself to make his demands.

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

"I've got something left to do."

"What. . . .make me a fool?. . . .a victim?. . . .lied—"

"I never lied to you. Everything I did come from here," she pointed at her ruined heart.

"Yeah, by trying to hurt me!"

"It wasn't what you thought. I wasn't hurting you on purpose."

"So you were trying to hurt me."

"No—I didn't know it'll come this far but—"

"All this time. . .I was pretending you were real?"

"I was just trying to—"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" he shrieked.

As he thrust her away from him—silenced her so that he wouldn't have to bear her justifications—he realized how weak she'd grown in all these pain of words he just said.

"I'm sorry," Zoe apologized then she faded away.

It was almost too easy to silence her.

It was only Takuya now. Just him, and the pain and the horror that he would never escape. He would never _not _have that image in his head again. He would never be free of it. It was forever a part of him.

_Kanbara's Residence_

Takuya was sitting on a chair in front of a window, moping.

"Big brother, Koji and Koichi are here," Shinya announced.

Takuya didn't bother to respond.

"They wanted to talk to you about _something_. Do you want em to let them in or tell them you're not feeling so good?" Still, no answer. Shinya sighed and take his question as a yes.

Shinya stepped outside to talk to the twins.

"How is he?" Koji asked.

"Big brother. . . .He's not. . .responding."

"Thanks, kid."

Koji and Koichi went inside who didn't know where and how to start.

"Okay, Takuya, this is the reality," Koji started.

They waited for some kind f answer.

"Look, we guess that must have been pretty. . .bad," Koichi admitted.

"We never wanted you to hear that. We're sorry," Koji apologized.

"But we had to. This is the inconvenient truth."

They were quiet for a long time, still waiting for him to react.

"Sorry," Koji and Koichi muttered.

Takuya heard them walk away but before Koji opens the door, Takuya finally talk.

"I didn't used to believe in ghosts but ever since I came back here. . . .Ghosts are real. I know this sounds weird. Zoe is a ghost," Takuya kept his eyes through the window then he smirked. "Am I crazy? Do you believe what I'm saying?"

"_You _only see what you wanted to see," Koji touched Takuya's shoulder.

"Does this mean I'm crazy?"

"You're not crazy, just confused."

"You're a good guy Takuya. And a good guy knows how to solve a puzzle," Koichi cheered.

"Thanks," Takuya grinned.

"We gotta go," Koji snapped.

"See ya when we see ya," Koichi went for the door.

"Yeah, bye."

Shinya waited in the silence for a long time for Takuya to speak, but he was just as silent as he was.

Takuya continued moping. Shinya did not interrupt. Takuya sat in on his chair, doing nothing but moping. Takuya sat for three days on his chair. At the first day, Takuya did not eat. Then. As he was scolded by his parents though they didn't know about his situation about Zoe, he snapped out of it.

He only speaks when someone asks him a question.

He couldn't keep from sleeping, but he did not make himself comfortable. The third day, he admitted that he was wrong how he yelled on Zoe. He hoped for her to come into his room that night but there was nothing but the darkness.

The next day, the Minamoto Twins came over to his house again. Koji settled himself against the wall beside Takuya.

"What's the plan? Sitting on that chair doing nothing?"

Takuya glared at the floor.

If he was being honest with himself, now he was angry.

"You wanna die, there are easier and faster ways," Koichi pointed.

As if Takuya wasn't aware of _that_.

"So slice my throat," he croaked.

The twins weren't surprised to hear him speak. They nodded, as if this was exactly they'd known would come out of his mouth.

"So you're giving up, Takuya?" Koji's voice was stern and more serious than Takuya had ever heard it before. "We have stronger survival instinct than that. People die."

"It isn't easy. It nearly kills us when we knew about Zoe—we're seeing that now. But this is your reality, Takuya. This is your problem. We've lost a friend but she's alive inside of us. We're trying to find ways to wake you up."

Koichi spoke to him as if he were a child.

Takuya couldn't deny the truth of what they were saying, or the sense of it. The shock had worn off, and he was himself again. It was in his nature to be fair.

Takuya cleared his throat, but his voice was still hoarse with disuse. "Seeing a flashback how your friend died is something difficult. You weren't the one who thought she's _alive._"

They were quiet for a moment. "We can't tell how painful that one was," Koji spoke.

"It's more than a torture, though. I intentionally cause Zoe pain when I yelled at her."

"You still believe she's out there, don't you?"

"It's worse than that. I some kind of erase her."

"Takuya, she's trapped. She can't rest in peace until her body is found," Koichi snapped. "If you really love Zoe, you have to set her free."

Takuya raised one eyebrow at Koichi.

I know, I feel so stupid when I shouted at her but I didn't mean to. I was shocked. Even though I wanted to let her go I don't where to find her body."

"If somebody tells you to find a ghost what would you do?"

Takuya gagged and then shuddered at the image.

"Let Zoe guide you."

Takuya's voice came out rough with new horror. "I'm not helping you find her."

"She knows where it is," Koji said.

"I don't know where she is."

"Find her."

They looked at each other. For the first time in five days, Takuya finally took his eyes off of the window. He stood, thanked his friends and run from downstairs.

"Where are you going?" Koichi questioned.

"None of your business," Takuya replied.

"He's back," Koji patted Koichi back.

Takuya went to buy flowers then he went to the Little Heaven, the one and only cemetery in Shibuya. It didn't take Takuya long to find Zoe's grave. He was expecting for Zoe to show up on his face but nothing happened. He placed the flowers on the cold stone.

"Where are you?"

Takuya hurried to Zoe's place. He searched through the empty house but not a single voice was found. There was nothing but silence.

"Why weren't you here?" Takuya screamed on his knees. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I have no idea what I was doing. I want to help you, but if you want to be free. . .well, at least give me a sign where you're body is."

No answer.

"What had I done?" Still, nothing.

Then there was a crash upstairs and it came from Zoe's room. Takuya stood and went into the room. The vase on the table near the bed fell by the black cat.

_Meow. Meow._

The black cat tried to get Takuya's attention.

"What is your problem? How'd you get in here?" Takuya asked as he stroked it.

The black cat scratched the closet over and over again.

"What's in there?" Takuya questioned. He touched the closet then he remembered it was where Zoe hid before she died. He gulped and opened it without a pause.

It was nothing. Just the two of them. Just Takuya and the black cat. No one else. Alone.

"There's nothing in here."

The black cat went inside the closet.

"I can't believe I'm talking to a cat," Takuya whispered to himself. The cat kept on meowing again. "What?"

The cat looked up. Takuya enters the closet and sees a small door in the ceiling, which leads into the attic.

"She's got an attic in her bedroom?"

Takuya pushed the door up but it won't budge.

"Damn it," he cursed. "Sorry little guy, it won't open."

Before he turned around it opened.

"This is really starting to freak me out," he admitted.

He used his lighter as he climbed up.

"Alright Cat, what's,"—before he continued he was shock when the Cat disappeared out of nowhere—"next?"

Takuya looked around the dim and messy room. In this attic were gathered a collection of objects that aren't important anymore, including a dusty guitar on which Zoe can play a few sad songs, a large bundle of notes, a blurry photograph, taken a very long time ago, of a woman whose name is Susan. These were items that were very precious to Zoe. There were a few chests. Littered all over the floor were empty wine bottles and dirty dishes.

_Meow, meow!_

A black Cat appeared behind Takuya which made him jump. "Shit!" he said. "Will you stop doing that?"

The Cat runs away from him to the farthest chest from him. It scratches it until Takuya realize what the Cat wants him to open it. Takuya removed all of the heavy and breakable items on the trunk. It was locked. He grabbed a metal and hit it with his best shot until the pad lock is destroyed. He dropped the metal.

Before he opens it, his phone vibrates.

"I think I know where it is," he said as he answers Koji on the phone. "Just get to Zoe's house!" He ends the call.

After a brief seconds, he stroked the Cat once more and grinned widely to it. And then he opened it, then everything went black.

Takuya cried out, gasping, breaking through the dark pool.

"Zoe can finally rest in peace," Koji said.

Takuya was on a methodical bed. He was outside the house of Orimoto's. Policemen were investigating the inside of the House.

"What happened?" Takuya groaned.

"We found you unconscious fifteen minutes ago," Koichi explained.

"Zoe will be properly buried tomorrow," Koji added.

"That's a relief," Takuya sighed.

"You look exhausted. Take some sleep. You're going to be send into the hospital so the doctor can check up on you."

"But I'm fine."

"Don't worry, a few injections won't hurt," was the last words he heard.

Takuya eyes opened to a bright, white light. He was in an ambulance van. It seems to like nobody's around. He sat up and stared out the window, watching something much more interesting than the predictable story on television.

Across the two-lane road from the van was a Zoe's house but now it was something new and fresh. A little family was taking advantage of the cooler morning air. The father, Derek had some silver in his dark hair at the temples; the mother, Susan looked many years her juniors. Her golden hair was pulled back in a long ponytail that bobbed when she moved. They had a little girl, Zoe, no more than a year old. Derek carried and tossed little Zoe, while Susan smiled widely behind, Derek kissed Susan's forehead when he put little Zoe down, then she fall—Takuya chuckled so hard that his face was bright red. This had the little family laughing, too—Takuya could see Zoe's body shake with it, her hair dancing.

At that moment, the woman snatched her daughter from the ground and squeezed her in a tight embrace, covering her face with kisses. She cooed and flailed—just a five year-old. She put her down again.

The father had his arms around both the mother and the child now. He looked down at Zoe with staggering tenderness in his eyes.

Susan lifted her face to her husband, and he kissed her lips. Zoe crowed with delight.

Zoe's parents strolled toward the now-alive house letting their child walk alone inside.

Takuya swallowed loudly as Zoe looked back with a peaceful smile. Zoe continued walking playfully, holding a stuff toy that Derek bought her just now.

"Hurry up, Zoe," Susan called. "We're cooking your favorite."

Zoe hurried inside but before she entered the house, she turned around and winked at Takuya and waved goodbye.

"Wait!" Takuya choked out the word, reaching for the van's door, running into the house but when he entered the house he was at the beach.

Zoe shivered, straining her eyes to see the muted glare of the sun dying. The hands that are suddenly there on his shoulders do not startle her.

"You're easy to sneak up on."

Even now, there is a smile in his voice.

"I saw you coming before you to took the first step," she said without turning. "I have eyes in the back of my head."

Warm fingers stroke her face form her temple to her chin, dragging fire along her skin.

"You're so beautiful that you must be fictional," he whispered in her ear.

Takuya chuckles, and the sound makes Zoe's eyes close and lips stretch into a grin.

"Zoe, we're leaving." Somebody called that sounded like Zoe's parents. It came from the shore.

Takuya took a deep breath. This was an acceptable option. He thought he was prepared. But he still had to ask.

"Why now? Another year—"

Takuya, it's time. You have set me free already."

Her answer confused him. Zoe turns around to face him, Takuya was trying to understand what she meant.

She stared back coldly.

"We'd have to start over soon regardless. We can now rest in peace." Each word separate and distinct.

Takuya shook his head back and forth mechanically, trying to clear it. She waited without any sign of impatience. It took a few minutes before he could speak.

"Okay," Takuya said. "I'll come with you."

"You can't Takuya. Where we're going. . .it's not the right place for you."

"Where you are is the right place for me."

"I'm no good for you anymore, Takuya."

"Don't be ridiculous." He wanted to sound angry, but it sounded like he was begging. "You're the very best part of my life."

"I am just a ghost," she said grimly.

"I don't care, Zoe. I don't' care! You can have anything you want from me. I don't want it without you—it's yours already!"

Zoe took a deep breath and stared, unseeingly, at the sand for a long moment. Her mouth twisted the tiniest bit. When she finally looked up, her eyes were full of hope—like a solid jade had melted.

"You and I won't lose each other." She spoke the words slowly and precisely as he promised., her faithful eyes on his face, watching as he absorbed what she was really saying. "I will always find you again." Being Zoe, she cannot be completely serious for more than a heartbeat or two. "No matter how well you hide. I'm unstoppable at hide-and-seek."

"Will you give me to the count of ten?"

"Without peeking."

"You're on," he mumbled.

"Don't be afraid. You'll be fine. You're strong, you're fast, and you're smart." She's trying to convince herself, too.

Why is she leaving him?

"Neither heaven nor hell can keep me apart from you, Takuya." She said those words.

Takuya stared, uncomprehending, into his eyes. She stared back without apology. Her eyes were emerald—hard and clear and very deep. He felt like he could see into them for miles and miles, yet nowhere in their bottomless depths could he see a contradiction to a word she'd spoken.

"Well, that changes things." He was surprised by how calm and reasonable his voice sounded. It must be because he was numb. He couldn't realize what she was telling him. It still didn't make any sense.

She looked away into the sunset. "Of course, I'll always love you. . .in a way." She looked back, and her perfect face were lighting. "I've let this go on much too long, and I'm sorry for that."

"Don't." is voice was just a whisper now; awareness was beginning to seep through him, trickling like acid through his veins. "Don't do this."

His whole body went numb. He couldn't feel anything below the neck.

"I would like to ask one favor, though, it that's not too much," she said.

He wonders what she saw on his face, because something flickered across her own face in response. But, before he could identify it, she'd composed her features into the same peaceful smile.

"Anything," he vowed, his voice faintly stronger.

"Be happy without being reckless or stupid," she ordered. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

He nodded helplessly.

Her eyes cooled. "I'm thinking of your friends and family, of course. They need you. Take care of yourself—for them."

Takuya nodded again. "I will," he whispered.

He could hear the blood pounding faster than normal behind his ears. Her voice sounded far away.

She smiled gently. "Don't worry. Your memory is no more than a sieve. Time heals all wounds."

"And your memories?" he asked.

"Well"—she hesitated for a short second—"I won't forget. But. . .I'm very easily distracted." She smiled; the smile was tranquil and it reached her eyes.

She took a step forward to him. "That's everything, I suppose. I won't bother you again."

That surprised him; he would have thought he was beyond noticing anything.

"You're not coming back," he realized. He doesn't know how she heard him—the words made no sound—but she seemed to understand.

She shook her head slowly, always watching his face.

"If I got to pick anyone, anyone at all, to be stranded on a deserted planet with , it would be you. It would always be you," she whispered. The sun between them burns hotter. "I always want to be with you. And not just. . .not just to talk to. When you touch me. . ." she dared to let her fingers brush lightly along the warm skin of his arm, and it feels like the flames are flowing from their tips now. Takuya's arms tighten around her. Does he feel the fire?

He sighed in her hair, and pulls her face around to meet his.

More flames in his lips, fiercer than others, blistering. His hands were in her hair, and their hearts are about to combust.

But his lips move to her ear, and he held her face when she tried to find them.

"It was a miracle—more than a miracle—when I found you, Zoe. Right now, if I was given a choice between having the world back and having you, I wouldn't be able to give you up. Not to save five billion lives."

"That's wrong."

"Very wrong but very true."

"Takuya," she breathed.

Their faces were only inches apart. He closed the distance, and even here, on the edge of her last breath, she couldn't help responding. Gasoline and an open flame—they exploded.

He curled his arms around her, pulling her tighter against his chest. Their lisp moved together, fusing as if they would never divide, and he could taste the salt of their tears. His and hers.

"Goodbye, Takuya," she said in the same quiet, peaceful voice.

Slowly, with a palpable reluctance that warmed some of the cold emptiness in the center of her body, Takuya let his arms slide away.

"I love you, Zoe."

She sighed. "Thanks, Takuya. You know how much I love you. With my whole heart.

The ticking seconds pulled her toward the ocean . It was cold when he no longer held her. It got colder every step she took away from him.

Zoe looked back at Takuya, familiar. She waved her last goodbye and then he drifted into the black, and it got brighter and brighter. It wasn't black at all—it was blue. Warm, brilliant blue. . .he floated into it with no fear at all.

**Okay, one more chapter. I think it's called epilogue. . .hmmm...good night! don't forget to read/review or LITTLE ZOE WILL HUNT YOU**


	4. Remarked

**This is the last chapter of the story. I hope you enjoy the burial, flashback, weird song and not so ordinary ending. ^_^**

At the beach, Takuya was holding a vase where Zoe's body is cremated and placed in a container for burial.

It was dim, starlit. Nighttime. There were so many stars. Takuya wondered why he wanted to bury Zoe's bones at the beach. There were no black obstructions. Just stars and stars and stars. . .

Zoe friends were there: Koji and Koichi, Ashley and her high school friends. Even their parents. They stood in a ragged line on the salted water.

_Thank you, _Takuya recognized the sweet voice of Zoe as the wind fanned his face.

Then the priest started talking:

"Let us turn our slick blacks  
To the wind. Close our ears  
To the funereal din. Someone  
Muffle please the clapper, let this  
Toll be one of silence.  
We've no want of joy today.

"Let the flowers not bloom,  
Nor the moon wax heavy.  
Let the skies stay mauve grey  
Let the rain be our baptism.  
Please let's not speak of heaven  
There is no comfort to be found.  
Permit us to believe that it is not he  
We lowered to the course and heavy  
soil. Let us know his soul took flight.

Put away the polished silver  
Pack up the fine china.  
Leave the clocks unwound  
Remove the ribbons from your hair.  
One of us has died.

"Who would like to leave Zoe a message, anything just to take it with her."

Koji stepped forward.

"Zoe is a cheerful person. I miss her delivering about our appearances and our inner qualities behind us. She's a good person that no one has ever had."

They watched Koji toss a handful of Zoe's ashes into the ocean. Ash scattered from his fingers, falling to the sea.

He went back to stand beside Koichi. Koichi moved away from him, stepped forward.

"I remembered when somebody comes up to her walks away validated as a worthwhile human being. And then I realized that day, she's made of so many wonderful things." Koichi threw his handful of ash.

Ashley stepped forward.

"I was very lucky I met Zoe as my best friend. She is one of a kind." She threw her ash.

Takuya walked forward, and Ash smiled peacefully once as they passed each other.

" Zoe not only saved my life — she taught me everything about life, hope and the long journey ahead. I may not see her, but I can feel her." He threw his handful.

_After the cremation_

Takuya, Koji, Koichi and Ashley decided to stay at the beach after Zoe's burial.

Takuya stared at the shining and twinkling stars.

"I feel like an idiot as I could not grant Zoe's ambition to witness a miracle before she died," Takuya cursed under his breath.

Koji put his hand on Takuya's shoulder. "_You _finished college."

"And saved Zoe's life," Koichi added. "If it weren't for you, Zoe wouldn't be able to rest in peace."

"At least you get to see Zoe one last time."

"Zoe _did _see a miracle," Ash remarked.

Takuya glanced at Ash.

"It. Was. You." She smiled with a friendly smile.

Takuya glanced at his friends from the corner of his eye and thanked them.

"Take care, Takuya," Koji said indifferently, nodding at Koichi.

"See ya," Koichi waved a goodbye.

"I know Zoe's very proud of you," Ash whispered as she hugged Takuya.

Takuya closed his eyes. Feeling the cool air brushed his skin.

In the starlight, he looked at his side, he remembered how he developed his feeling toward Zoe when they were sixteen:

_Smart of Takuya to have a place like this. Sure, it wasn't going to be fun to sit in a cave all day. Takuya kept going through a narrow crevice in the rocks. It was black as ink in there. Safe. The cave was no more than a small hole, burrow about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, though not as tall as that. Zoe could taste the fresh air coming. _

"_Nice place," Zoe said._

_Takuya smiled. "Better than the meadow you took me with."_

"_I can't argue with that. Um. Thanks."_

"_You're welcome."_

_They looked at each other in the dark for a minute. His face was smooth and calm. _

_There was an awkward silence for a minute, and then he made a subject._

"_You've done really well since you got here," he said, his eyes sweeping across her crossed arms, her folded legs. "You've survived—avoided the wrong kind of attention, kept intact."_

_She shrugged and then yanked her left t-shirt sleeve up to her shoulder so he could see the thin, ragged line that circled her arm._

"_Got this from those bullies three months ago," she admitted. _

_Takuya smiled wryly and touched his right knee with one finger. His dark jeans covered the scar that must have been there. "It happens to everybody."_

"_Ouch," she said._

_He nodded. "Seriously. But like I was saying before, you're pretty decent vampire."_

"_Am I supposed to say thanks?"_

"_I'm just thinking out loud. You're the kind that I should be looking for—the smart ones—not just these stupid gang-bangers that Kevin keeps bringing in."_

"_Hah!" she laughed. "I remembered when you helped on my first day of school. Then you treat me a burger, 'Want a burger, kid?'"_

_Takuya laughed at the burger line. "You act like a kid."_

"_Damn, as if you're not immature."_

_They laughed together again. Weird._

"_I don't think I've laughed like this before _with_ anybody since I met you," he said, echoing her thoughts. "This is nice. _You're _nice. Not like the others except for Koji, Koichi and Ashley."_

"_What happens when we graduate?"_

_They sat in silence, pondering this. Zoe mostly thought about how much he didn't know. And why hadn't she thought worried about everything she didn't know before now? It was like talking to Takuya had cleared her head. For the first time in three months, _school _was not the main thing in there._

_The silence lasted for a while. The black hole she'd felt funneling fresh air into the cave wasn't black anymore. It was dark gray now and getting infinitesimally lighter with each second. Takuya noticed her eying it nervously._

"_What if there are ghosts in here?"_

"_Don't worry," he said. "It won't hurt." He shrugged._

_She scooted close to the hole in the floor, where the water was disappearing as the tide went out._

"_Seriously, Zoe. I've been down here before. I told the twins about this cave—and how it was mostly filled with water, and they said it was cool when I needed to get out of the madhouse. Anyways, do I look like I'm lying?"_

_Zoe hesitated. His eyebrows rose, waiting for answer. "No," she finally said. "But. . ."_

"_Look," he said impatiently. He walked swiftly to the tunnel. "Nothing."_

_Zoe nodded once._

"_Relax! Do you want to see how far I can go?" As he spoke, he walked farther into the tunnel and darkness ate him._

"_Don't Takuya." He was already out of sight. "I'm relaxed, I swear."_

_He was laughing—she wanted to go after him, to grab his foot and yank him back, but she was frozen with stress. It would be stupid to risk her life to save some total stranger. But she hadn't had anything close to a boy. Already it would be hard to go back to having no one to talk to._

"_NO," he called, his tone teasing. "Wait. . .is that. . .? Ow!"_

"_Takuya?"_

_Zoe ran through the tunnel then a hand hugged her shoulders. His face was right there, inches from hers._

"_Boo!"_

_She flinched back from his proximity—just a reflex, old habit._

"_Funny," she said dryly, moving away as they walked back to where they sat._

"_You need to unwind, girl. I've looked into this, okay? There's no such thing as ghosts, goblins and monsters."_

"_You're probably right. Imaginations."_

_He hesitated for a minute, as if debating whether or not to tell her something. _

_Then Takuya—rolled to his knees and started clawing into the limestone above his head. Tiny stone shards filled his hair, but he ignored them._

"_What are you doing?"_

"_Experimenting."_

_He dug with both hands until he could stand upright, and then kept going._

"_Stop it."_

"_Ah, here we go."_

_He ducked back down to where she could see his face, with a rose in his hand, white and fresh. She gave it to her._

"_How—"_

"_I don't know. It's the last one. All I know is that it grows here four days a year only."_

_Zoe tossed it back. "Not interested."_

"_I'm not asking you out. I'm just giving it to you as a gift of a friend." He lobbed the rose to her; instead of catching it, she batted it back._

_He snagged it out of the air and groaned. "You are so. . ._superstitious_!" _

"_C'mon," she said uneasily. "This is silly."_

_Takuya held the rose in front of Zoe dramatically, arm extended._

"_Just take the rose, simple."_

_Zoe was totally frozen._

"_Fine," she grabbed it then she smiled her mysterious smile. _

_Takuya smiled at her. "I'm really glad you came tonight."_

"_Don't get all gooey on me now." _

"_What? You don't want to be"—he widened his eyes and his voice went up an octave—"BFFs?" He laughed at the goofy expression._

_Zoe rolled her eyes, not totally sure is he was making fun of the expression or of her._

"_C'mon Zoe. Be my bestest bud forever. Please?" Still teasing, but his wide smile was natural and. . .hopeful. He held out his hand._

_She went for a high five, not realizing until he caught her hand and held it that he'd intended anything else._

_It was shockingly weird to touch another person after a whole life. Like touching a sparking downed power line, only to find out that it felt nice._

_The smile on her face left a little lopsided. "Count me in."_

"_Excellent. Our own private club."_

"_Very exclusive," she agreed._

_He still had her hand. Not shaking it, but not exactly holding it, either. "We need a secret handshake." _

"_You can be in charge of that one."_

"_So the super-secret best friends club is called to order, all present, secret hand shake to be devised at a later date," he said. "First mission: Getting Koji a girl friend._

_His eyes were on hers as he spoke, wide and sincere. There was no change as he said Koji's name. _

"_Add this to the list," she said. "Agenda. Why is Koji wears a bandanna?"_

"_Bulls-eye. That's exactly what we've got to find out. But first, I've got to show you something._

"_The word makes me nervous."_

"_Trust is an essential part of the whole secret club gig."_

_He stood up in the extra ceiling space he's just carved out and started digging again. In a second, his feet were dangling while he held himself up with one hand and excavated with other._

_He pulled himself higher into the hole he was making, and the dirt continued to rain down. He was going to fill in his hidey-hole at this rate. _

_Zoe slid most of the way into the escape tunnel just her fingertips and eyes above the edge. Takuya had to be close to the surface._

"_Please stop, Takuya," she whispered, knowing he would probably laugh, knowing he wouldn't listen. _

"_Trust, Zoe."_

_She waited unmoving._

"_Almost. . . ," he muttered. "Okay."_

_Takuya dropped back down while it was still dark. In his hand he had a long root, a thick snaky thing that was almost as tall as her. He gave her an I-told-you-so kind of look._

"_I'm not a completely reckless person," he said. He gestured to the root with his free had. "See-precautions."_

_With that, he stabbed the root upward into his new hole. There was a final avalanche of pebbles and sand as Takuya dropped back onto his knees, getting out of the way. And then a beam of brilliant light—a ray about the thickness of one of Takuya's arms—pierced the darkness cave. The light made a pillar from the ceiling to the floor, shimmering as the drifting dirt sifted through it. _

"_Amazing," Zoe commented._

"_But wait. . .there's more."_

_Then Takuya was out of the hole, and she was next half a second later. They stood on a small patch of wild grass, only a few feet from the trees that covered the island. Behind them, it was just a couple of yards to a low bluff, and then the water. _

"_Wow," she muttered._

_Takuya grinned at her, his face beautiful, and suddenly, with a deep lurch in his stomach, he realized that the whole BFF thing was way off the mark._

_His grin softened a little bit into just the hint of a smile. His eyes were wide like her. He touched her face, the way he'd touched her hand, as if he was trying to understand her light in her eyes._

"_So pretty," he said. He left his hand against her cheek._

_She's not sure how long they stood there, smiling like total idiots. _

Takuya snapped back to life then he realized he was at the cave he and Zoe used to share when they were in high school years.

Nothing change. The cave is still the Super-secret ninja club used to live.

Takuya nodded with a smirk on his face. "Super-secret ninja clubs do sound way definitely cooler and better than the whole BFF thing."

Then Takuya scanned the cave: Zoe left a few books on the floor while Takuya left a few cases of CD's. They also added a few stuffs that came in handy. A few pieces of crumpled paper were scattered which they used to write their problems, procedures, observations and missions.

Takuya noticed an unfamiliar CD. He picked it up and read the writing on it.

**To my Takuya.**

Takuya quickly drove his way back home and played it inside his room. He was relieved that nobody's home for he likes to be alone for now.

_I'm sorry if it took me sooo long to finish our song. This song is about us, if it isn't obvious, _Takuya almost laughed on the song part._ So here goes nothing._

Takuya recognized Zoe's singing voice playing at the CD:

Your sky seems so cloudy  
I can barely see a single star  
Your eyes become teary  
And find yourself hiding in the dark

You are not alone  
Someone's here to play your song

Take my hand  
We'll fly to the sky  
Close your eyes, I'm at your side  
Tomorrow's gonna be just fine

_Thanks, Takuya. It's not just you came back as you promised. It's because you gave me the reason to live that I only realized now. I love you. Be happy._

Takuya smiled widely to the last words.

_**Four Months Later**_

_**(May)**_

Takuya, Ashley and the twins were hanging out at a nightclub, celebrating Zoe's birthday.

Ashley says, "This is an amazing day—three cheers for Takuya!"

Takuya is now a very successful engineer at his company.

The four put up a raucous chorus of hurrahs like a bunch of happy drunks.

"Zoe would've been very proud of me, trust me, I know," Koji called to Takuya.

"Okay, let's do the dance people," Koichi said.

"I'm cool. I'll taste the music later," Takuya insisted.

_Be happy, _Takuya hasn't heard the sweet voice of Zoe's for a while. He simply grins then continued what he was doing.

A few long seconds later, a young woman walked was sitting on a chair, thinking on what to order.

Takuya stood and sat near the blonde woman. He studied the woman's perfect face. Her features were as the same as Zoe's. The eyes, lips, nose, hair.

"Um, can I help you?" Even the voice.

"I'm sorry, you look somebody I know," Takuya quickly apologized. Embarrassed.

She nodded. Then Takuya decided to make a conversation.

"Are you related to the Orimoto's?" he asked hastily.

"Um, no. Why do you ask?"

"You remind me of a friend of mine."

"Oh."

"Are you a newbie?"

"I just moved here two weeks ago."

Takuya laughed at the joke. "What's your name?"

"Zoe."

Takuya's heart beat raced. "Weird. Because my friend's name was also Zoe."

"So where is she?"

"She's gone. But don't worry, I know she's where all good people are."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"So it's very nice meeting you. I gotta go," Zoe stood then Takuya caught her hand pulling her back to her seat.

"But wait. . .you just got here."

"I don't feel hungry anymore."

"Is it because of me?"

"Of course not," she chuckled. "I—"

"I would like to walk you home."

"Hmm. . .suit yourself."

"Yes!" Takuya hugged _Zoe _as if they've known each other for so long.

"Your weird," Zoe grinned her mysterious smile.

"Zoe used to say that to me," Takuya smiled widely. Feeling a new faith and hope.

**Hahaha. . .Takuya ditched his friends! I think. . .O_o? This just came in: TAKUYA MET A YOUNG WOMAN WHO LOOKS LIKE ZOE. Well, this is awkward, this happens to me a lot. Many people tells me I look like this and that girl. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter.**

**I was planning to make a sequel to this story. Okay. . .I'll put it up to a vote. Don't forget to read/review and visit my profile so you can vote. Tell all of your friends okay? HAPPY HOMEWORK-FREE WEEKEND! **


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